Revision as of 13:51, 7 November 2008

On a wiki, it is customary to allow readers to edit content and structure. Changes are tracked, and are revertible. This wiki is protected from spammers and other illiterates, so you need to log on to edit pages.

This is a brief overview of the editing and contributing process. The Editor table of contents lists a few longer versions and a list of detailed descriptions of specific topics.

Editing basics

Review policy and conventions

Make sure that what you want to write belongs where you want to put it. The operator of the site likely has specific plans for the site, and your content might be deleted or unappreciated. You can always use the talk pages to ask questions or check to see if your idea will be accepted. Please make note of the license your contributions will be covered with.

Start editing

To start editing a MediaWiki page, click the Edit this page (or just edit) link at one of its edges. This brings you to the edit page: a page with a text box containing the wikitext: the editable source code from which the server produces the webpage. If you just want to experiment, use the preview function on a non-existing page, not here, and not permanently.

Type your changes

You can just type your text. However, also using basic wiki markup (described in the next section) to make links and do simple formatting adds to the value of your contribution.

Summarize your changes

Preview before saving

When you have finished, click Show preview to see how your changes will look -- before you make them permanent. Repeat the edit/preview process until you are satisfied, then click Save page and your changes will be immediately applied to the article.

Most frequent wiki markup explained

Here are the 6 most frequently used wiki markups. If you need more help see:

(4 apostrophes don't do anything special -- there's just 'one left over'.)

You can ''italicize text'' by putting 2
apostrophes on each side.
3 apostrophes will bold '''the text'''.
5 apostrophes will bold and italicize
'''''the text'''''.
(4 apostrophes don't do anything
special -- there's just ''''one left
over''''.)

Headings organize your writing into sections.
The Wiki software can automatically generate
a table of contents from them.

Subsection

Using more equals signs creates a subsection.

A smaller subsection

Don't skip levels, like from two to four equals signs.

Start with 2 equals signs not 1 because 1 creates H1 tags which should be reserved for page title.

== Section headings ==
''Headings'' organize your writing into sections.
The Wiki software can automatically generate
a table of contents from them.
=== Subsection ===
Using more equals signs creates a subsection.
==== A smaller subsection ====
Don't skip levels,
like from two to four equals signs.
Start with 2 equals signs not 1
because 1 creates H1 tags
which should be reserved for page title.

* ''Unordered lists'' are easy to do:
** Start every line with a star.
*** More stars indicate a deeper level.
*: Previous item continues.
** A new line
* in a list
marks the end of the list.
* Of course you can start again.

Numbered lists are:

Very organized

Easy to follow

A new line marks the end of the list.

New numbering starts with 1.

# ''Numbered lists'' are:
## Very organized
## Easy to follow
A new line marks the end of the list.
# New numbering starts with 1.

If multiple sections have the same title, add
a number. #Example section 3 goes to the
third section named "Example section".

You can link to a page section by its title:
*[[List of cities by country#Morocco]].
If multiple sections have the same title, add
a number. [[#Example section 3]] goes to the
third section named "Example section".